Sidekicks

Not for Profit

Work to Recover

Work to Recover is Sidekicks’ not for profit arm, which we have run since our inception in 2015. Wrk to Recover exists to help those in recovery from any form of mental illness to re-enter the workplace. Located in Central London, our program is open to all who are dedicated to their recovery.

Many people suffering from mental health issues find a fulfilling career impossible to sustain and their job often falls victim to their illness. The purpose of Work to Recover is to change that.

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We firmly believe that work can be hugely helpful in assisting and maintaining recovery from a wide range of mental health issues. It can provide a bridge back to ‘normal life’ and be instrumental in rebuilding damaged confidence and self-esteem.

Work to Recover is headed up by Gemma Rose Thomas, a qualified Recovery Coach, Wellness Specialist & Holistic Healthcare Practitioner.

We work with some of Sidekicks’ most valued clients for whom Corporate Social Responsibility is a real priority. Employers
benefit from the skills and dedication of an employee who is motivated, engaged and diligent. For the programme
participants themselves, the scheme offers a second chance: a productive and fulfilling route into work after recovery.

Success Story

Michaela, 26, from Hertfordshire

A qualified young fitness professional, Michaela was referred to Work to Recover by the charity Free Me, to further her recovery from depression and an eating disorder.

At the point of her referral to Work to Recover, Michaela had left her full-time job as a gym instructor due to her illness. “I just felt really lost,” she explained “I had lost my direction and my passion. I couldn’t see a clear way forward.”

Following Michaela’s participation in Work to Recover group sessions, Jessica Williams, managing director of Sidekicks, coached her personally. Michaela had structured, weekly mentoring sessions across a four-month period in conjunction with on-going, frequent phone-based support.

“When I first met Michaela, she just shone with talent,” said Williams. “She had been through so much and had endured such a rough ride, but her spirit was amazing and she was just desperate to regain her self-confidence and passion for work again.”

Following her graduation from the programme, Michaela was offered a job as a Corporate Fitness Coach for an international law firm and is now back at work full-time.

“I’m intensely proud of her” says Williams. “She is an amazing woman who just needed a little bit of support. I have no doubt that she is going to go on to achieve amazing things.”

‘It was a pleasure having Katie to spend a day with us at Bloom as part of the Work to Recover initiative. It’s good to be able to give something back to people who have been on a tough and often lonely journey and really need all the support they can get.

Business isn’t just about making profit, it’s about improving people’s lives too and as business owners, we should all remember that.’

Jill Marshall, Managing Director, Bloom

Take Part

If you are a company interested in speaking to us about the enormous potential benefits of joining the Work to Recover scheme, please call Jessica Marchant on 07747 131 807, or email Jessica@sidekicks.london